Expansion device for refrigeration units



Sept. 7, 1954 c. H. BEANE EXPANSION DEVICE FOR REF'RIGERATION UNITS Filed Aug. 13, 1951 g1 IZ IN V EN TOR. mmm eane Patented Sept. 7, 1954 fEXPANSION DEVICE FORQREFRIGERATION UNITS* -.(larsonfli.. Beane, Binghamton, N.!Y.,a ssignor to 'f The.' Brewer-Tit'chener Corporation' Cortland,

N.'.Y.,.a corporation of New York Application yAugust 13, 1951,.:Serial1-No;:241g650 6'Claims. 1` `This invention relates to ra `structually and functionally improved lrefrigeration assembly .anda unit for usefin that assembly.

.It-.isfan object ofthe invention tof-urnish an Aapparatus in which the expansion device may be thefform of. acapillary= tubing capable of. be-

ing'readily replaced under eldservice conditions; suChreplacement occurring with the ex- .penditureV ofminirnum effort and time and.- re- ,quiring onlyY ordinary skill.

A further objectlis that ofproviding a structure of this nature in whichane'icientheat ex- .change will occur between the tubing and the `parts with which it is lassociated.

Another'object isy that of furnishing` an assemblyv'embodying relatively few parts each individually ruggeda and simple in design, such parts .beingcapable of' ready connection and detachment from` each other.

vWith theseandother objects. in mind refer- ,ence is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and.in which:

vF-igpl isasectional side view. showing insomewhat diagrammatic manner an assembly em- "bodying-` the. present teachings Fig.. Zlisfafsectional-side view showing in enlarged-scalethe detailed-structure of one form of unit;

Fig. .3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line-3--3and in the direction of the arrows as indicatedin Figv 2 Feige: is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the unit indismounted position;` and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing :a .preferred grouping of the parts.

Referring primarily to Fig. 1 there has been diagrammatically indicated at 5 an enclosure of anysuitable-design which defines a space 6 to be cooled. To this end an evaporator 1 preferably in the form of a coil is disposed in that space. lA motor drivencompressor is furnished to which is connected the usual suction line 9.

.The compressor-discharges through a line I0 withinfwhichthere is interposed av condenser II. Conveniently shut-off valves I2 and I3 of any suitable design are associated with thedischarge .end` ofline Ill aswell as the-intake end'of evaporator 1. Anexpansion device being interposed between the evaporator and the condenser, it follows that with the compressor operating, a refrigeration cycle: is provided.

As will be understood the parts heretofore identiedimay form unitsof any'desired assembly. This might embrace f a :more or wless icon Gil-117.55)

:.2 ventionalv refrigerator, a deep freeze, a display cabinet,` a conditioningsystem,. etc. Suitable refrigerant is employed. Ordinarily. the condenser V-will have disposed adjacent it a fan or other iiuidi'impeller to assure a maximum heat exchange between thatfluid and thesurfaces of the condenser. TheA evaporator as well as the condenser may embody any desired design accordingA to. the needs of agiveninstallation. The

,expansion-unitn has in Fig. 1v beenshown mainly disposed to the' outsideof the enclosure '5. In

actualfpracticeit might be partially or wholly housedsoas to reduce to a minimum losses which would votherwise occurs.

.The-.expansion device 4setsup'in the usual manner the resistance necessary to maintain thefproper headpressurey and still supply the liquid-refrigerant to.` the evaporator in accordance .with-installation requirements and` at the necessary pressures. This expansion unit, ac-

vcordi-ngto the present teachings, will be in the form=of a capillaryxtubing Hl which is spirally coiledto encircle the discharge line I5 extending from-the evaporator 1. The opposite ends of the capillary coil are provided with quick` detachable couplings I6 of any acceptable configurations .and which. may readily be connected with and .uncoupled from the adjacent tube lines.

Con.- veniently the cooperating and coupling portions ,may form parts of the valves I2 and I3, and simply-.include tapered seat portions against which the par-ts I6.may-bear without any danger of leakage occurring.

Inproviding the coil I4 it may be spirally disposed to -dene a somewhat restricted cylindrical This tubing will, of course, embody certain resiliency. The coil is enclosed within a sleeve. I'I. Also disposed within this sleeve it is preferred to place a body 'of thermal `mastic material I8. This body will extend in contact with the convolutions of coil I4. It will also extend in contactwith .theinner face of sleeve I'I. It should incorporate good heat conductivity. Also it should 'define a bore such that the inner edges .of the coil convolutions are more or less ex- .sage'of'which-thesuction line 9 is coupled. Line shove-nt.

I5 extends through the tting I9 and is enclosed by a tube having its upper end secured to the downwardly extending branch of the tting. Line I5 terminates short of the end of tube 20 which is closed as indicated at 2I. Therefore uid discharging through line I5 will reverse its flow and move upwardly through tube 20 and so into suction line 9.

Now with tube 20 disposed within the bore defined by coil I4 it is apparent that the refrigerant flowing from the condenser II and through the coil I4 to the evaporator I will be cooled. With such cooling a high degree of operating eiliciency will occur. The accommodator will remain in position against any movement with respect to tube 20, not alone due to the fact that the ends of tube I4 are connected and supported by adjacent lines, but mainly because of the frictional engagement which will occur between the coil and the outer face of tube 20. That contact being relatively firm, it also follows that a maximum heat exchange will be effected between the parts.

Under conditions of service if it is necessary to replace the expansion device then all that is necessary is for the technician to close valves I2 and I3. Thereupon couplings I6 may be detached. The entire assembly carrying with it the coil I4 may now be stripped oi of tube 20. Thereupon a new unit may be disposed upon the tube by simply applying pressure in an axial direction to assure what might be termed a With the coupling parts I G again connected, the valves may be opened and the servicing operation of this unit has been completed.

In the foregoing description reference has been made to tubing, lines, coils, etc. As shown in the drawings these may conveniently embrace parts of generally circular configuration. HOW- ever it is apparent that other configurations might also be employed Within these denitions. As afore brought out the structure of the several units might be modified in numerous particulars without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the claims.

Finally, and as shown especially in Fig. 5, the end of the capillary tube may be disposed within the entrance end of the evaporator l. In that event a grommet 22 of rubber or other suitable material may be employed to support the parts with respect to the enclosing structure 5. A coupling assembly involving screw-threaded parts 23 and 25 together with an interposed packing 24 may also be provided at this point. This will assure against any leakage. In the event that a shut-01T valve such as I3 is employed then it may be interposed in the capillary tube I4 at a point short of the discharge end of the latter. Of course, in the event of that end of the capillary tube being disposed as in Fig. 5 then such end is somewhat extended over the showings in Figs. 2 and 4. With a structure of this nature embodied in the assembly the point of first expansion of the refrigerant occurs well within the insulated area of the enclosure.

I claim:

1. In a refrigeration assembly in combination an evaporator embracing a hollow fluid-conducting body having intake and outlet ends, a motordriven compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected to the compressor outlet, a tube assembly provided with an intake and an outlet and presenting an outer unit having a projecting closed end constituting an unobstructed mounting portion, the outlet of said assembly being connected to the compressor inlet, the inlet of said assembly being connected to the outlet end of said evaporator, an expansion device comprising a coil of tubing of small cross-sectional area and also having inlet and outlet ends, the former end being connected to the condenser, the outlet end of said coil extending into the intake end of said evaporator and the body of said coil embracing thel exterior face of the mounting portion of the outer unit of said assembly and `being slidable in telescopic relationship therewith to be detachably mounted thereon.

2. In a refrigeration assembly in combination an evaporator embracing a hollow fluid-conducting body having intake and outlet ends, a motordriven compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected to the compressor outlet, a tube assembly provided with an intake and an outlet and presenting an outer unit having a projecting closed end constituting an unobstructed mounting portion, the outlet of said assembly being connected to the compressor inlet, the inlet of said assembly being connected to the outlet end of said evaporator, an expansion device comprising a coil of tubing of small cross-sectional area and also having inlet and outlet ends, the former end being connected to the condenser, the outlet end of said coil extending into the intake end of said evaporator, the body of said coil embracing the exterior face of the mounting portion of the outer unit of said assembly and Ibeing slidable in telescopic relationship therewith to be detachably mounted thereon, an insulated structure enclosing said evaporator and the outlet end of said coil being disposed within the area of said structure.

3. In a refrigeration assembly in combination an evaporator embracing a hollow fluid-conducting body having intake and outlet ends, a motordriven compressor having an inlet and an outlet, a condenser connected to the compressor outlet, a tube assembly provided with an intake and an outlet and presenting an outer unit having a projecting closed end constituting an unobstructed mounting portion, the outlet of said assembly being connected to the compressor inlet, the inlet of said assembly being connected to the outlet end of said evaporator, an expansion device comprising a coil of tubing of small cross-sectional area and also having inlet and outlet ends, the former end being connected to the condenser, the outlet end of said coil extending into the intake end of said evaporator, the body of said coil embracing the exterior face of the mounting portion of the outer unit of said assembly and being slidable in telescopic relationship therewith to be detachably mounted thereon, couplings for removably connecting the ends of said coil with the adjacent condenser and evaporator and a sleeve movable as a unit with and enclosing and insulating said coil from the adjacent atmosphere.

4. A readily removable expansion unit for use in a refrigeration assembly having a tube providing an unobstructed mounting portion projecting from the outlet end of an evaporator, said unit comprising a capillary tube disposed in coil formation to encircle the tube portion and being slidable in telescopic relationship therewith to be detachably mounted thereon, couplings at the ends of said tube for removably connecting the same with the ends of a condenser and evaporator forming parts of the assembly and a sleeve movable as a unit with and enclosing and insulating said coil from the adjacent atmosphere.

5. A readily removable expansion unit for use in a refrigeration assembly having a tube providing an unobstructed mounting portion projecting from the outlet end of an evaporator, said unit comprising a capillary tube disposed in coil formation to encircle the tube portion and being slidable in telescopic relationship therewith to be detachably mounted thereon, couplings at the ends of said tube for removably connecting the same with the ends of a condenser and evaporator forming parts of the assembly, a sleeve having a diameter greater than that of said tube coil and movable as a unit therewith, a layer of insulating material enclosed within said sleeve in contact with said coil and the inner edge portions of said coil being exposed on the inner face of said insulating layer for direct contact with the tube portion of said refrigeration assembly.

6. In a refrigeration assembly in combination an accumulator comprising an outer unit having one closed end and presenting an outer face providing an unobstructed mounting portion, an

evaporator discharge line extending in spaced relationship within said outer unit and terminating at a point short of the closed end thereof whereby refrigerant discharged by the evaporator line will reverse its ow within said unit and move in heat exchange contact with the inner surfaces thereof, a capillary tube disposed in coil formation to encircle said mounting portion and. said tube being slidable in telescopic relationship With said mounting portion to be detachably supported thereby for removal over the closed end of said accumulator.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,181,856 McCloy Nov. 28, 1939 2,326,093 Carter Aug. 3, 1943 2,393,854 Carpenter Jan. 29, 1946 2,455,298 Cahenzli Nov. 30, 1948 2,467,078 C'ahenzli Apr. 12, 1949 2,486,822 Cameron Nov. 1, 1949 2,520,045 McGrath Aug. 22, 1950 

